THE HUNTED
by Douglas Fett
Summary: The seventh flashback RP of my main character, Douglas Fett.
1. Finding himself

Betrayal.

The Jedi heroes of the Mandalorian Wars – Revan and Malak, and all their forces arrayed under them – have returned to the galaxy, _as Sith_. Their reason for going into the Unknown Regions - to hunt down cells of remaining Mandalorians - an obvious con, the two new Sith Lords have begun forming a new Sith Empire in the Outer Rim.

Due to this terrible new development, the Republic declares war on its former hero. In a twist of irony, the Republic prepares its defenses, ready for all out attack, while _Darth_ Revan avoids military engagements with the Republic altogether. Coined "The Sitting War," the first year of the Jedi Civil War was oddly uneventful.

In this strange lull, surviving Mandalorian warriours find opportunities a plenty, both as mercenaries and bandits. And for a small few, some find themselves still plagued by the bounty the _Jedi Knight_ Revan had posted a year earlier. One Mandalore warriour, on the run, finds himself targeted everywhere he goes.

This is that story.

_Dramatis Personae_

Douglas Fett – Male Human Mandalorian  
>Soody Wumba – Male Peripleen<br>Huag – Male Ailon  
>Strask Girov – Male Bothan<br>Reeko – Female Cerean

_Author's Note: The plot for this RP is a complete rewrite of my original idea, which has since been lost. Still, what I do remember is that it was the same gist - Fett was just fighting off a bunch of bounty hunters. Like, A LOT. I rewrote it and trimmed it down into what I have here now. Enjoy._

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**3,959**

**Colony Regions – Carida**

_Well, this place ain't so bad_ I thought dryly to myself. Carida reminded me an awful lot of Dxun, as I trekked through the jungle floor. The rest of the planet was covered by other terrains, which were rough, sure, but they weren't _this_. This sort of place was where someone could get lost in, throw off attackers, and find themselves.

_Find myself? What am I, a goddamn psych droid?_ I thought cynically. Something was eating away at me, something in the back of my mind I couldn't quite describe. Something…sentimental, nothing I wanted to explore. Safer to keep my mind on reality, the situation at hand, the mission. But there was no mission. It was only me, running, from everything. But for my sake, for my sanity, I kept reminding myself I had work to do. Whatever it was I didn't know. All I had been doing since Malachor was running.

_Malachor_

The place and the events surrounding it left a stain in my mind I couldn't quite clean up. Some times all I could think about was Malachor. The image of the planet imploding, all the ships in its orbit being sucked into a vortex, wouldn't escape my mind. But that couldn't be what was bothering me. It happened. It was done. It was in the past. And because of it, my culture was dead, and I found myself with no purpose to life

_Suck it up dammit_ I thought to myself, annoyed. I stepped over a fallen tree, and kept my mind on what I was doing. I was walking around in Carida's jungles, with no real objective in my mind. Mostly I just wanted to lay low from bounty hunters and the like. Sometimes I thought about Camille, but there was nothing to be gained there. I kept walking. The afternoon sun slowly dipped down, allowing my black and red armour to eventually blend in with the evening shadows. I had no main objective to reach, besides scaring off possibly threatening wildlife, until my eyes settled on something in the distance. Nothing bad, not apparent at least. No, it was a shack. A hand made hovel out in the middle of the jungle. There was a glow of light peering out from one of the small windows.

_Someones home_ I thought, weary. I equipped my rifle and crept forward, towards the side of the shack. Did I want to knock and say hello, or break down the door and rob the place? My own intentions were unclear even to me, but as I continued, I spotted somebody just outside the place, on the opposite side of the shack where I was. Some odd looking alien, barbequing some hogtied animal over an open fire. The alien had black safety goggles on.

_What the hell?_

"Hello? Someone there?" The alien asked in Basic. The alien looked in my direction, but seemed unable to spot me, due to his goggles and my armour's camo. "Heh heh, I won't hurt you. Show yourself, I mean you no harm." The alien said. I cautiously approached the fire where he was standing. "Ah, there you are stranga. The name is Soody Wumba, friends call me Sud." The alien said. I recognized him finally as a Peripleen. He reached out his hand to shake mine. He was an odd fellow. Besides the fact that he put out his hand to my right, he was looking up, everywhere, as if not recognizing where I was standing. I shook his hand, turning him towards my direction. "You'll forgive me, I'm blind you see."

_Oh._

"Please, sit down, let me pour you some tea." Sud said as he turned to pick up a pitcher. His tail nearly fell into the fire, as he picked up marinade instead. I stepped past him.

"Let me take care of that, old timer." I said, picking up the pitcher of tea and a cup, and pouring myself some. I returned, and sat down. After one final scan of the helmet to make sure I was _mostly_ in the clear, I removed my helmet and took a sip of the tea.

"You sound quite young, my boy. Whats a young lad like yourself doing out in the middle of the Carida jungles, hmm?" Sud asked. I paused for a few moments, mulling some thoughts over while I took another sip. I shrugged.

"Not sure."

"Eh, don't sweat it. Maybe after you eat, something will come to you, eh?"

After dinner, Sud and I began finishing off a bottle of Dobra Zemlja Wine. Ironically, Whisky did nothing to me, but wine kicked my ass hardcore. Which wasn't bad, Sud himself was also inebriated. Sud and I sat at his dinner table, finished eating, as he began asking questions again.

"So stranga, have you found out why you're on Carida yet?" Sud asked. Under the influence, I grinned and laughed to myself.

"My friend, I have no reason. There's no reason for me doing anything. There's no point to anything. Hahahahaha!" I replied, laughing my ass off. Sud laughed as well, and after a few moments we descended into an awkward silence.

"Tell me. What's your name, hmm?" Sud asked, growing serious. I looked up from the table, though Sud's attention was facing forward, to my left, away from me. Despite my exterior drunkenness, there was an aspect of my mind fully sober. That fire inside that keeps me alert, on my toes, weary, and always looking over my shoulder.

"Does it matter?" I replied, hoping to evade the question. I subtly checked my holstered pistol. My rifle was on the table on the other side of the room. The Peripleen elder laughed.

"Relax! I have nothing against Mandalorians." Sud replied.

_What?_

"_What?_" I replied surprised.

"Eh, its no big deal. Who else would be roaming around these parts except somebody trying to get lost? Don't worry, I won't turn you in stranga. Even if you didn't kill me as I'd attempt to arrest you, I wouldn't have anywhere to spend the bounty money!" Sud said, amused. I snorted.

"Well, that's a relief, because I wouldn't like to kill you Sud." I replied, at a loss for words again. I took another sip of wine and thought of something. "So, you really don't have anything against me?" I asked. The Peripleen shrugged.

"Bah, I have no love for the Republic. Its because of them I lost use of my eyes, you see. And whatever happened between your people and them, well none of my business. You boys never did anything against me. Come to think of it, you're the only Mandalorian I've ever met…" Sud replied, trailing off as he scratched his chin, pondering. I raised my brow and grinned.

"Well, let's hope I don't disappoint then."

"Eh, your doin fine lad. Cheers." Sud replied, as we clanked our glasses together. "Speaking of Mandalorians, something you might be interested in. There's a military academy here on Carida. In fact, the boys are having the Ailon as their guests."

"The who?"

"Don't you know who the Ailon Nova Guard are? Warriours, mercenaries, brutes, real pros for those who have the creds to hire them. Anyway, the Academy invited them to celebrate some victory of theirs. From what I heard, this contingent of Ailon just captured and executed a big group of Mandalorians." Sud said. I slammed my glass on the table, shattering it as I stood up.

"_What?_"

"Yes sir, the Ailon captured a number of your comrades and killed them in cold blood."

"But how? That's bullshit!" I yelled. Sud nodded, unphased by my anger. He was old and wise enough to know I wasn't mad at him.

"I hear they used a ploy. Out in space. Beaming out some message from a station, pretending to be a Mandalorian refuge group. Your boys hooked up with this space station, ventured inside, and were ambushed by a whole legion of A.N.G. mercs. They captured the survivors, brought them to the academy, and executed them. The Republic paid them immediately, I hear." Sud explained. My breathing sharpened, as my blood began to boil. I looked about his small hovel, not looking for anything. Just at a loss of what to do and what to feel. Sud pulled his seat out, stood up, plucked a glass from a kitchen cabinet, and poured me another glass of wine. For a blind guy, he knew his way around. "Eh, I know your angry lad. I would be too." Sud said. I was more than angry. Not just rage. Inexorably offended, grossly appalled. Sud set the glass down on the table, but annoyed, I stood up. "I know its not the best vintage, but…"

"I want to get the bastards. Stick their heads on pikes and mail them first class back to their homeworld." I blurted out. Sud was quiet for a few moments, standing opposite me while he looked to my left.

"Revenge is a dirty and bloody game lad. No one wins."

"But someone always loses. Enough for me."

"And if that someone is you?"

"You don't know me well, old timer."

"I know you're pissed. Attempting revenge with the state your in is suicide."

"I didn't ask for your advice."

"Alright, I won't give it." Sud replied. A few caustic and tense moments passed, as Sud turned away, picking up the glass of wine he poured for me and began drinking it himself. I stewed in thought for a few moments before speaking.

"I would like your help though." To this, Sud laughed as he finished the wine. "What's so funny?"

"You don't need to ask for my help lad. I was about to offer it." He replied. I tilted my head to the side, confused.

"You want to help me?"

"Sure, why not?"

"Something you're not telling me, old timer."

"Yah, my armory is in the room there." Sud replied, pointing. I looked to the closed wooden door where Sud pointed, walked over, opened it, and looked inside. It was an armory all right. Blasters of all makes and models, explosives, weapon attachments, the works.

"_Holy shit._ Sud, where did you get all this?"

"Didn't I tell you? I used to be G.R.A." Sud replied, walking up beside me. _Oh._ Former Galactic Republic Army soldier.

"You failed to mention that."

"Eh, not a big deal. Its in the past. Go ahead, take whatever you'd like." Sud said. I went in and began inspecting weapons. All of the blasters were manufactured by various companies that made a fortune off of the Republic – Czerka, Aratech, Systech, and the like. While none of the weapons in Sud's armory compared to my M.A.R., I did pick up a few as backups. I also snatched a few grenades of various types I myself did not have, incendiary, flash, and plasma. Sud himself went inside, blind of course but knowing exactly where everything was. Of all the equipment inside, he picked up fireworks. I shook my head and walked back into the kitchen.

"I still don't know why you want to help me, but thanks."

"Eh, save your thanks till this is over stranga."

"Right. Let's go."


	2. The Infiltration

Sud and I exited outside. He led me to a small shed, where he had an old landspeeder stashed. While he fired it up, I dropped off my new equipment in my basilisk, and picked up my M.A.R. Equipping what I needed, I sealed the ship up and joined Sud at the speeder, which he finally started up. I hopped in the passenger seat, and we were off. The trip took roughly two hours (Sud of course activated the craft's onboard auto-pilot), as we exited the jungle lowlands to the more temperate grassland climates further north. After a while, a multitude of bright lights glimmered atop a plateau. There it was. The Academy of Carida, in all its "glorious" splendor. As Sud took us in further, I could better make out the location. The Academy itself was protected by defensive walls, constructed atop the cliffs of the plateau it rested on. A man-made ramp, winding back and forth along the plateau cliffs, allowed foot traffic to enter inside. Sud parked the speeder in a patch of trees a safe distance away from the academy. We exited the craft, and while Sud began pulling out fireworks, I studied the academy at range with binocs. Guards everywhere, along the walls, in watch towers. Everywhere.

"I knew there was a reason you brought those fireworks, Sud." I said. Sud was still readying the fireworks. "I hate to say it old timer, but I'm feeling overwhelmed here." I admitted casually. Sud grunted as he set the fireworks down on the ground.

"That's funny, I thought most Mandalorians would relish a challenge like this." Sud replied. I scoffed.

"It's one thing to besiege a place like this with an army at your side, but-"

"Yah, I get your point. What do you want to _do_?" Sud asked. The question hit me like a brick. I didn't have any clear objective. I wanted to thrash every single one of the Ailon mercs, and kill anyone that got in my way. But that was foolhardy rage. Tairek would have advised me the same way Sud had. I missed my old mentor. This was the sort of Op he and I would be sent on, infiltrating some heavily fortified base, planting charges, and bolting just before the place was blown sky high. For a second I felt my eyes begin to well up, but I shook the thoughts aside. _Suck it up._

"I didn't think of that. Maybe get their commander. How many Ailon do you think there are?" I asked. Sud scratched his chin as he walked over to a nearby tree, feeling his way forward before sitting and resting.

"A few hundred. This is just a small contingent of the Guard anyway. You're not going to find an Ailon High Marshal here." Sud replied.

"How much do you know of the Ailon, Sud?" I asked, now curious. Sud shrugged.

"Plenty. The G.R.A. taught us a lot about other military organizations."

"You think they'd post a bounty of their own on me after this?"

"Only if you don't cover your tracks, I'd say." Sud replied. I nodded and returned my focus to the fortress before me.

"Ok. KISS method. I'm just going to find their commander and kill him. Any ideas?" I asked. Sud pulled out a ration pack from his vest and began eating.

"I distract them. You find a way in. Simple enough?"

"Simple enough. Got a comm I can contact you on?" I asked. Sud retrieved a small comm. device from his belt and told me his frequency. "Good. I'm going to get going now, find a back door and go from there. You keep them occupied."

"Sure thing." Sud replied, as he finished eating. I turned and began walking, but stopped and turned back.

"You still haven't told me why you're helping me, old timer."

"Heh, guess I didn't."

"Stop toying with me Sud, evading a question isn't making you any younger."

"Eh, what can I say? I'm having a blast. How many retired soldiers living out in a jungle meet wandering Mandalorian commandos? I've led a good, long life. I'm loyal to friends and comrades, not governments." Sud replied. I grinned behind my helmet, and began walking off.

I kept my distance, as I circled around the plateau. Naturally, guards were stationed along the entire perimeter. The duracrete walls and guard towers were brightly lit, and any light fixture that suddenly stopped functioning would draw attention. If this were the war, Tairek would be teaching me everything he knew about getting inside a structure like this. _Stop it. He's dead. They're all dead. Suck it up._ I shook my head and continued scanning the walls. The guards themselves were not Ailon. While the Ailon Nova Guard were guests, the guards were the Academy's own soldiers – Republic troops. The thought crossed my mind that the headmaster of the Academy might possibly have Elite Republic Commandos stationed here. It was a small concern in the back of my mind, but a concern nonetheless. I've fought and killed them before, and I'd do it again. Just without friendly help this time.

When I had reached the back of the plateau, I decided to stop circling and make my way up. The jetpack was too loud and cantankerous – the hard way was longer but much less overt. Using my gauntlet's whipcord to double as a grappling hook, I fired the wrist cable up. The hook fired just past the plateau, and caught onto a section of wall. I tugged on the cable. Firm. Second test – reliability. I set my feet against the plateau cliff, and began pulling myself up, one step at a time. I commed Sud.

"I'm making my way up."

"_Almost ready._"

Rock climbing was relatively new to me. Infiltrating various Republic worlds during the war, I had heard about rock climbing as a sport. My natural, instinctual thought was _rock climbing? Who the fuck climbs rocks?_. As it turned out, it's quite an enjoyable activity. Not as high up there as hunting your prey in the Dxun jungles on a stormy day, but enjoyable regardless. After a little while I had beat the plateau, making my way to a small foothold just before the duracrete wall. I undid my grappling hook from the wall, and held on. The wall was barely half a foot away from the edge of the cliff, leaving me little breathing room. Using one hand to hold on, I used my other to fire my whipcord up again. The grappling hook caught between two crenellations. I tugged, and found it was safe. As I began climbing up, I commed Sud.

"Now."

"_Hope they enjoy the show._" Came the reply. A few moments later I heard a distant whirring sound, more an _eeeeeeeeeeeeeee_ sound than anything else, followed by a loud crack as though something exploded. The sky above me turned a bright red, as I continued climbing up. Over the next few minutes, the sky turned from green, to blue, to red, to light yellow as Sud shot off his fireworks. Reaching the top of the wall, I used my helmet sensors to detect nearby targets. Just one. I did a quick peek over the wall, and found my 'friend' was facing in the direction of the fireworks. Perfect. I carried myself up further, and found that a completely silent approach would be impossible. Do it like ripping off bandages from a bleeding blaster wound. Quick and painful. Working up some momentum, I hopped over the wall, landing with a light thud behind the guard.

"What the?" The guard said, surprised as he turned around to face me. In a quick motion, I stood tall, ejecting my gauntlet's vibroshiv, grabbing my friend by the neck and jamming the blade into his stomach. He dropped his blaster rifle and collapsed onto me. I held onto him as he died silently and slowly. I knelt down to let his body fall to the floor, and did a quick scan of the nearby area. Undetected. I equipped my slug-thrower, screwed a suppressor onto the end of the barrel, and surveyed the academy from my vantage point.

Rows of barracks for the recruits were situated in one pocket, next to rows of training fields. In fact, these pockets were spotted everywhere, all surrounding a large parade ground. The gate in and out of the main academy grounds was opposite me, directly at the front of the compound, which was then facing out to Sud's fireworks. And opposite the gate, on my side, was the main Academy, a large, wide building that rose five stories, higher than the wall. Still within the fortress' walls were several housing units, separated from the barracks with a makeshift wall and guard patrols.

Troops patrolling the wall seemed mixed. The poor gent I took down seemed green. Any pro would be ignoring such an obvious ploy, either by common sense or via orders from his superior officers. Speaking of which, where were the real soldiers? Did they have the night off? The parade grounds seemed to be ablaze with activity, in fact. Using my binocs, I scanned the parade grounds. No doubt about it, the Ailon Nova Guard were celebrating their "victory," _still_. I could make out a large number of Republic troops with them, ignoring the fireworks…or under the impression the fireworks were part of the show. Still kneeling, I removed the soldier's helmet and listened in on the comm chatter.

"_What the hell is going on over there? Report!_"

"_Sir, somebody is setting off fireworks to the south. An alien from the looks of him._"

"_I want a squad sent down to apprehend this alien, NOW!_" The man in charge yelled. I dropped the helmet and got moving. Time was of the essence. Where the hell would I find the Ailon commander? I crouched under the crenellations and continued along the wall, which for the moment was shrouded in shadow. The guard tower ahead had one guard and a bright light to illuminate that section of the wall. I hopped the wall, plateau side, and 'side-climbed' along the outside of the wall. I paused as the guard passed me, then continued on. This level of stealth was nothing new to me. Originally I hated sneaking around, it seemed to have no honour in it. However, after numerous Ops involving just me and Tairek against whole legions of Republic troops _and_ Jedi, there was something alluring about it all. Overall skill and ability to avoid a fight against such overwhelming odds, or to even _fight_ against such odds, satisfied my battle lust.

_There is no honour in anything anymore. Your not even a Mandalorian anymore._

I shook the thoughts out of my head, let them plague me from afar. Couldn't think on that now. More important work at hand. I reached the next guard tower. Another Republic trooper was on patrol. I carried on. These gents were green, not the ones I wanted to have a chat with. Scurrying along the wall, I came within range of the Academy itself. It was about 30 feet from the wall. Looking both ways, I hopped the wall. Clear so far. With little shadow cover I had, I had to move fast. On the wall next to me was a large flagpole, connected partially to the Academy by a diagonal cable, used to help keep the pole and it's respective flag in place in case of high winds. I pulled on the cable. Sturdy enough. I looked to where it connected to the academy. Third floor, to a space just outside a large window. I grabbed on the cable, and ziplined down. I let go of the cable, landing on the duracrete windowsill. I checked. Still clear. The guards on the walls continued their rounds. The window was closed, locked even. I waited for the right distraction. Moments passed.

_Come on Sud, you didn't get arrested did you?_

To my luck, another firework went off. A few, all loud and obnoxious. I used the opportunity, smashing through the window with my elbow, and climbed inside. It was dark. I activated my visor's NV and scanned my surroundings. It was a restroom. My scanners picked up a target nearby. Light emanated from underneath the door leading inside. I hurried to behind the stalls, back flat against the stall wall as the door opened and a guard with a flashlight came in. Stepping further inside, I waited till he was near enough before grabbing him, holding him as a body shield, one arm around his neck and the other, my pistol to his head.

"Boo."

"What the – who the hell are you?"

"The Ghost of Christmas Past. Got a question for you. Where is the Ailon commander?"

"I'll say nothing!" The trooper stammered. Annoyed, I gripped my arm around his neck tighter.

"Your in no position to argue, bucko. You don't want to die in the little boys room, do you?"

"You're a sick sonofabitch. If I tell you, will you let me live?" He asked. I pondered this for a quick moment. Was there any reason to kill him? After all, he hadn't seen me. Didn't even know the kit I carry, unless he'd had multiple suppressors pressed into his skull. I had already killed one of his comrades out of necessity. Was my fight against the Republic? No. In a moment of clarity I replied.

"Yes."

"He's here in the Academy. Lieutenant Huag. Top floor, guest suite."

"Any more of your friends around?"

"No, its just me." He answered. _Too willingly._

"You're lying."

"For fuck's sake, don't kill me!"

"_How many?_" I asked angrily.

"Ok ok, one on every floor!"

"Good. Whats the best way up?"

"A turbolift. Stairs too."

"Thanks. Lights out." I replied calmly. I conked the soldier in the back of the head, and let him drop to the floor, unconscious. I knelt down, switched off his flashlight, and picked the bathroom keycard off him. I headed for the door, scanned with my helmet again. Clear. Not even security cameras. I exited into the main hall, and locked the bathroom door behind me with its keycard. As I made my way forward, I tossed the keycard in a nearby trash bin.

The particular hall I was in was an 'academia' wing. Classrooms, seminar rooms, places where scholars would feel right at home. The carpet, with what little light shone in from outside via the windows, turned out to be red with gold designs. The walls were a dark green. The interior looked more like an Embassy, regal and upscale, although that's probably what the designers intended. As I made my way down the hall towards the stairs, I spotted something in the ceiling above me. I looked up and identified it. _A ventilation shaft._ I looked around for a better entry point. I continued on down the hallway, entering into what looked like a lounge area. Another ventilation shaft, this time on the wall. I walked over to it, removed the grating, and crawled inside. As I began inside, Sud commed me.


	3. The Exfiltration

"_Eh stranga, you making progress?_" Sud asked. I grew paranoid. Had he been captured, and was now being forced to out me? I remained silent, ignoring a subsequent call from him. My exit strategy was compromised, so far as I could tell. Unless Sud was safe. I couldn't think about that now, but it worried me regardless. I ignored it and continued on.

The shaft went directly forward, before splitting in two: up, and down. My upper half extended out to look upwards, I raised my gauntlet arm up and fired off my whipcord's grappling hook. The hook traveled for a distance before I heard a 'clank.' I tugged. It was snug. I pulled my body into the vertical shaft, and began climbing up. As it turned out, climbing up an air shaft was a lot easier than huffing it up a cliff face. The grappling hook was convenient, but as long as one put their full weight into their back and feet and shimmied up, it was doable. There were of course no signs designating _3rd floor…4th floor…5th floor_ within the shaft, so I used my best judgment. As I climbed further, and the shaft's roof came into sight, I knew I was reaching my objective. I came upon a horizontal shaft, and looked down it. It looked like it entered into a similar lounge I had been in several floors down. I climbed inside, and crawled out the shaft and onto the 5th floor. I kept my NV on, as it was just as dark on the 5th floor as it was downstairs. I crept forward while using my helmet scanners. A target coming my way. Guard with a flashlight. I settled behind a fake potted plant, and waited as he rounded the corner. As the soldier passed, I overheard his comm. chatter on my helmet's frequency descrambler.

"_So what's going on out there?_"

"_Don't know. Some crazy old loon shooting off fireworks. The major got pissed and sent out a squad to get the guy. They reported back that they didn't find him. You?_"

"_Found a rat but that's about it. Hoak…Huag? Whatever his name is, he's still awake. These Ailon are nuts. I got a bad feeling about them._"

_Thanks for the info fellas_ I thought dryly to myself. I exited my hiding spot, snuk up behind the guard, grabbed around his neck, and slowly blacked him out. I set his body down within the lounge, nabbed the guest suite keycard off him, and continued down the hall. Unlike the previous floors, which were all classrooms, the 5th floor was more in the style of an expensive hotel. _A hotel_. The thought gave me an idea. As I ventured further, I found a directory, complete with a holo map. I accessed it. There was the main suite…and _room service_. I pressed down on the intercom, and patched the line through to the kitchen.

"The lieutenant wants a fresh pot of coffee."

"_Got it._" Came the reply. I continued down the hall, spotting the kitchen doors. I paused, and watched from the shadows as a server exited the swinging double doors with a cart. The windows along the opposite wall provided the only light, as the server headed opposite my direction. I crept forward, sneaking under the windows in the doors and towards the server. I kept my distance, following him as he made his way down the hall. He turned the corner, and I followed. As he turned another corner, I held back and peered around to see where he was going. The lights in these hallways were on. Better I wasn't spotted, of course. The server came to the door, and knocked.

"Coffee for you lieutenant." The server announced. There was a garbled reply from inside, and the server entered the room. I rounded the corner, flattened my back along the wall, and took a quick peek inside. The server's back was to me, as he prepared the coffee. I couldn't see Huag, but my sensors told me he was inside. I waited for the server to finish, and as he exited the room, I pistol whipped him, knocking him out cold. I grabbed his unconscious form before he crashed to the ground, and set him down lightly in the corner of the hallway before going inside the room, closing the door behind me. Pistol raised, I ventured inside. I entered the master bedroom, where the server left the cart and coffee. To the right of the bed was an open door leading to the balcony. I could see Huag on the balcony, looking down at the celebrations. But there was no one there. My sensors indicated there was a target inside, but _not_ on the balcony.

_What the-_ I was cutoff in midthought as I was thrown to the ground. My pistol fell from my hands as I looked up, and saw the real Huag, armed and armoured, standing above me.

"A Mandalorian? Come to avenge your comrades? HA, I'd like to see you try!" Huag roared. He brought his foot up, then quickly crashed down to stomp me. I rolled out of the way fast enough, nabbing my pistol, aiming, and firing, catching Huag in the leg with a slug. The Ailon lieutenant stumbled as I stood back up, and as he recovered, I delivered a kick into his head. Huag fell backwards, his armoured form smashing to the floor. Before I could get another shot off, Huag used magnetic devices in the palms of his gloves to attract his battle staff to his hands, which flew from one end of the room and into his grasp. As I fired a slug, Huag used his staff to _stop_ the projectile. Bewildered, I holstered my pistol as Huag stood up, and used my gauntlet lasers to shoot him. The laser bolt ricocheted harmlessly off his armour and smeared into the floor. "You are weak, Mandalorian. I will break every bone in your body before killing you and turning you in for credits."

I settled on fist and foot, and dropped into a fighting stance. "Shut up and fight."

"Ha, very well. Your battle helmet will make a fine addition to my collection." Huag replied, using his thumb to point to the wall behind him. At least a dozen Mandalorian helmets stacked on the wall. _You sonofabitch_. Huag moved fast, swiping at me in a diagonal downward slash with his staff. I sidestepped, and attempted to trip him with a swift kick to his shins. Huag held firm, and smacked me in the back of my helmet with a horizontal swipe from his staff. I fell forward, dropping into a somersault past the bed and crashing into the wall. As I looked up, I saw Huag charging me, staff blade forward and aimed for my neck. I reached up, grabbing the staff with both hands before it could pierce me. I used all my might, straining to hold the blade back. "You are strong, Mandalorian. Your comrades would have been easily slain by now."

I gritted my teeth, now pissed off. Using Huag's strength, I quickly directed the staff blade away from my neck and into the wall beside me. The staff pierced into the wall, and Huag's armoured stomach crunched into the end of his staff. I quickly stood up, delivering a one-two punch into Huag's helmet, sending him sprawling backwards. I continued with a roundhouse kick to his midsection, but Huag grabbed my foot and twisted me in the air. Predicting this, I brought my other foot around for another kick, catching Huag in the helmet. I crashed to the ground, as Huag fell against the wall. I stood up as Huag began to pull himself up. I stopped him in mid-recovery, curb stomping his helmet multiple times. Huag grunted, till I eventually kicked off his helmet. I finally got a look at Huag's face.

His Ailon face, which was an odd mix of Human and insectoid traits, was bloody and bruised. Huag was done. I knelt down, ejecting my gauntlet vibroshiv and poking it into his jugular, drawing a small amount of blood. "…Won't…tell you…"

"Shut up Huag!"

"…You…have beaten me…I pledge my forces to-"

"I don't give a damn about your army. Tell me what I want to know. Why hunt my kind? And don't tell me it's a challenge. Revan destroyed us."

"You're cynical. Someone on the brink…yes, we were hired. The High Marshal knew nothing of the bounty on your kind until underworld organizations contacted us…hiring us off to bring down your people, once and for all." Huag replied. Made sense. The criminal underworld was possibly too afraid to fight us in person. Better to send out other warriours, split the bounty.

"Have any other guardsmen succeeded?"

"No. Just my unit. You have my word, from one warriour…to another."

_Fuck your word_ I thought cynically.

"And who do you work for?"

"I was hired by….by…." Huag swallowed his words in death. I punched the wall, annoyed. I was at a dead end. Blood boiling, I began pacing to calm down, when Huag's helmet began making noise.

"_Lieutenant, are you alright? We heard blaster shots from your room, we're coming to check on you…lieutenant?_" It was time to go. I equipped my silenced slug-thrower, put a slug in Huag's head for good measure, and bolted out of the room. No witnesses. I hurried back to the ventilation shaft, but paused as I rounded the corner. Footsteps were approaching. My sensors alerted me to at least four targets – a squad of Ailon no less. I bolted back to Huag's room, locking the door behind me. My eyes dodged across his room. Where the hell to hide? My adrenaline was pumping faster and faster, as Huag's four pals got closer.

"Lieutenant, lieutenant, are you in there?" One of the soldiers asked outside the door, followed by several loud knocks. I ran inside, frantic. My eyes darted to the balcony. No, too public. I looked to the other side of the room – the window, facing outside. I ran to it, swung it open, and began climbing outside to make my way to the roof. The front door opened with a crack, as the soldiers broke inside. I closed the window with a kick beneath me, as I scrambled up a nearby drain pipe. As I pulled myself onto the roof, the window opened and a soldier peered around. I lay on my back, slowly steadying my breathing.

"The lieutenant is dead. We have an intruder. Everyone on full alert!" One of the soldiers inside ordered.

_Have your fun without me boys_ I thought to myself. I stood up, regained my composure and looked around. This place would be on lockdown soon enough, time to make myself scarce. Sud's fireworks had ceased, with Sud having either fled or been arrested. I spotted another support cable, held tight between a pole and the flag on the defensive wall. I jumped up, grabbed onto the cable, and ziplined down to the flag pole. On the wall beneath me was a soldier. As I zipped down, he looked up and spotted me. _Ah shit_. Using my momentum, I dropped down from the cable, launching an air kick straight into the Republic trooper's head, knocking him out cold. As alarm sirens began going off all over the Academy, I hopped the wall, and using my gauntlet's whipcord grappling hook, began rapelling down the wall, then the plateau.

After 20 minutes, I eventually made my way down to ground level. As I set down and began walking, there was a whistle from the nearby trees. "Psst, eh, stranga, it's me!"

"Sud? What the hell happened?" I asked. I did a scan with my helmet. No one else was around. I kept my guard up regardless.

"I should be asking you that, but we'll both have time to explain on the way back. Hop in and let's go!" Sud said. I trudged forward, and saw Sud had brought the speeder around. I jumped in, and we were off. We kept our distance from the academy, and after another long drive, along with me retelling what happened inside, we reached Sud's hovel. We went inside to relax.

"…And then I made my way out, you found me, and here we are." I said, finishing. Sud poured himself a glass of wine and shook his head.

"So the Ailon were hired by somebody else, to split the bounty 50/50? Very interesting. And this 'Huag' characta died before he could tell you who? Hmm…"

"I know. Dead end." I replied, sitting down at the kitchen table. Sud took a sip of his wine and sat opposite me.

"Maybe not. I have a friend. We used to be army buddies together. He works in, let's call it, _information technology_. Anything going on in the underworld, he'd know." Sud said. I mulled this over in my head.

"Alright. Give him a call." I replied. Sud nodded, and exited the kitchen into his private study. He came out a few minutes later.

"He'll be expecting you."

"Your friend have a name?"

"Ah, of course. Strask Girov. Bothan. Runs a manufacturing plant. Here are the coordinates." Sud said, handing me a datapad. I pocketed it and looked over at Sud as he finished his wine.

"Well, thanks for all your help Sud." I said, standing up. I extended my hand and he shook it.

"Of course stranga." Sud replied. I nodded to him and left his small novel. In a short while I reached my Basilisk, and began powering it up. Within a short time, I flew off Carida, input coordinates, and blasted off into hyperspace.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

Hyperspace trips were long and boring. Alone and restless, I slouched in my seat, and removed my helmet, resting my head against my fist. I felt…odd. Alone, useless, pointless…was it that same feeling from before? I gritted my teeth in annoyance. Such sentiments were weakness. I shook my head. My absent mind soon began reminiscing, thinking of the old days. Battling alongside old comrades. The boys of Klaar squad, Tairek, Conall, Gawain, all my brothers and sisters Tairek and I assisted. Boudica.

"They're dead. All of them." I said hesitantly to myself. I blinked a couple times. "_Ni su'cuyi, gar kyr'adyc, ni partayli, gar darasuum_, Vishnal, Henrish, Derryl, Begaro, Hirohito, Tairek." I said. My closest friends and companions, dead. I sat still for a few moments in thought. I quickly realized that to truly remember my companions, I would have to recite hundreds more. Thousands. All of them were dead, and gone. They either died slowly and painfully in battle, or were killed in a manner so horrific only a _Jedi_ would allow it. _Malachor_.

I felt something dripping down my cheek. I reached up with my finger to stop it. It was a tear. I blinked a couple times, numb. And then it all just fell apart. I cried, angrily, my eyes watery as the tears poured out. The ship's engines were nearly silenced by my cries, as I choked for breath. I stood up and stumbled to the cargo hold, then fell down on my knees. I thought that these years were going to be a breeze. Tears pouring constantly as I continued gasping amidst cries, I picked up one of the new firearms from Sud to inspect it, hoping to set my mind at ease. Fiddling with it for a few moments, I chucked it aside angrily, then held my head in my hands, then collapsed to the cold iron floor. I was alone in the Galaxy, completely and utterly alone.


	4. Progress, progress, progress

**Mid Rim – Torolis**

The hyperspace trip had taken its toll, as I finished off an entire bottle of Whisky. To ward off puking, I had to take some special herb that could only be found on _Manda'yaim_. I had only a small amount, but it seemed like an appropriate occasion to make use of it. The rest of the trip I sobered up, mentally numb. Fuck feelings, and emotions. Like picking up the wrong woman, they only caused trouble. As I viewed Torolis through the plexi-glass of my Basilisk, I was hailed on the ship's comm.

"This is the Command Ship _Barukt_. Identify yourself." The fellow on the other end ordered. I looked out the viewport, and spotted the Capital Ship port side. Several fighter wings circled us, waiting for me to make the wrong move.

"Strask Girov is expecting me." I replied calmly.

"I asked you to identify yourself." The man replied, his Bothan accent now clearly present.

"And I did."

"If you do not properly identify yourself, we _will_ open fire!" The man warned. Before I could reply, a third party broke in.

"_That's quite enough Admiral, thank you. I have been expecting this one. Run along now._" The third man said. Strask Girov, most likely. Without another word, the warship and its fighters broke off. "_I apologize, my forces have been on high alert for a long time now. That business with your Mandalorians, and now the return of the 'prodigal Knight' has left my people on edge._"

"I see that. Strask Girov, I presume?"

"_Indeed I am. I'll transmit landing coordinates to you, and meet you in a short while._"

Before I could thank him, the Bothan had cut the line.

I took the Basilisk into Torolis' atmosphere. Scanners indicated the planet was not heavily populated, only some thirty million people. A Bothan colony world, it hadn't been founded too long ago it seems. As I flew closer, I could make out the lush environs of Torolis. This was in stark contrast to the coordinates provided – a giant industrial complex of a city, situated on a man-made island in the middle of a large, _green/brown_ lake. I flew through a smog cloud, before descending further into the city. I reached a landing pad, and set the Basilisk down. I peered out the viewport.

The landing pad was connected to a much larger facility facing me, and was even suspended high in the air above the rest of the city beneath me. At the end of the landing pad, which led into the facility, there were two guards, both Bothan. No 'welcoming committee' this time around. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary…not yet at least. After grabbing my gear, rifle included, I warily exited the Basilisk and began walking to the door. Soon enough, a party of Bothans came outside to 'greet' me. Plumes of smoke from several stories down drifted up alongside the pad/facility junction as the Bothan in charge stopped me.

"Halt, Mandalorian."

"I already went through this with your pals up in orbit. My name is Douglas Fett, I'm here to see Strask Girov." I replied, annoyed. The door to the facility opened again, and out walked another Bothan. The Bothan speaking to me paused our conversation, as the newly entered Bothan conferred with another who walked out with him. He looked in my direction and smiled.

"Fett, sorry about this. Stand down boys, he's my guest." Strask ordered. The second welcoming committee backed down, as Strask approached me. He extended his hand and I shook it. "Strask Girov, at your service. And of course, welcome to Torolis, the finest Bothan colony world in the Mid Rim."

"A fine welcome its been." I replied, not bothering to hide my snark. Strask shook his head and began walking back. I followed alongside him, while his troops followed behind us.

"Once again, sorry about that. Fresh out of training, but lacking smarts I'm afraid."

"I'll say." I said, looking back to stare the previous Bothan in the eye from behind my visor. He blinked and looked away. "So what is this place?"

"Ah yes, I'll give you the grand tour. This city, _Saiga_, is the largest settlement here on Torolis." Strask replied, as we entered inside the facility. We began down a rounded hallway, passing by a massive window that peered out across the entire city. "When we Bothans colonized Torolis, Saiga was the first city to be constructed, but the second construction project here."

"What do you mean?" I asked, as a squad of Bothans passed us.

"The island that _Saiga_ is on was created by our finest architects and engineers. After other worlds were colonized, we learned from previous experience how to properly settle new planets. So you might say _Saiga_ is an experiment." Strask replied as we began walking. We passed by another window, and I watched for a moment as Police Forces, in speeders, pursued (presumably) a criminal, making a getaway in his own speeder. The Police unleashed blaster cannons, shooting down and killing the criminal. I raised my brow, marginally impressed. "Our Security Forces are the finest in this sector, as well."

"I see that." I replied dryly. Strask led us into a glass elevator situated within a clear durasteel elevator shaft, allowing us a clear view of the city – factories, houses, power plants, more factories, and skyscrapers. Strask peered out with me as the elevator descended.

"Progress, progress, progress. So far _Saiga_ is an efficient experiment. We only need to import 40% of the goods the colony needs to survive. Everything else is produced here, or found in the wild as natural resources. As Baron Administrator of this city, I'm proud of our accomplishments. But…there are problems, of course, but that's to be expected." Strask explained. Despite my growing impatience, I was actually quite impressed with what the Bothans had going on. The elevator stopped, and Strask led us inside his office. Large and wide, complete with a full regalia of hardwood floors, rugs, book cases full of books, and leather couches. Even the man's desk was a treasure to behold. Or had my material side began taking over? Either way, it was an impressive office. Strask veered off to the left to the beverage cart, and began pouring two glasses of Scotch from a crystal decanter. "Of course, you didn't come here to be awed by our Bothan engineering exploits." Strask said, as he walked back to hand me one of the glasses. He sat down in a grandfather chair, and I on the couch. Feeling mostly comfortable, I removed my helmet to drink.

"Let's talk shop. Did Sud explain the situation?"

"In adequate detail. I have the information you seek, but you'll have to excuse me when I say it would be remiss of me if I didn't have needs of mine met as well in our deal." Strask replied. He looked me dead in the eye as he took a sip.

"Perhaps Sud exaggerated and gave you a false impression of me. I'm no bounty hunter."

"Of course not, don't be ridiculous. You wouldn't be paid to eliminate anyone. Call it, a favour for a favour." Strask replied as I took a sip of the Scotch.

"I'm listening." I replied. Strask set his glass down and walked to his desk, and looked out the giant window behind it. He held his hands behind his back as he spoke.

"I had mentioned our 'problems' earlier, if you recall."

"I do." I replied, still sitting on the couch.

"There is one problem I'd like you to correct." Strask began. The Bothan called up a holo on his desk, revealing a holomap of the region. I set my glass down and walked over. There was the city, in the middle of a lake. Strask pointed eastward, through a strait and to an even larger lake. Within that lake was a small chain of islands. "For several months now, a saboteur has been infiltrating _Saiga_ and destroying basic infrastructure. Power plants, manufacturers, and the like. Our investigation has finally shown us the individual's hideout: this island chain. To the best of our knowledge, the individual is a Trianni, though we have no idea what his motives are."

"To the best of your knowledge, huh?" I asked skeptically.

"That's correct."

"And how do you know your friend is male?"

"_He_ raped a little girl during one of his escapades." _Oh._

"Alright. I'll get the bastard for you. Dead, if that's satisfactory."

"It is. There is a submersible ready for you. My men will escort you to the harbor, and let you be on your way." Strask said. He extended his hand and I shook it. I turned, walked back to the couch, finished my Scotch, replaced my helmet, returned to the elevator, and headed back upstairs.


	5. I Work Alone

Strask's private harbor, situated a ways away from the civilian fishing docks, looked more like a warehouse on the outside. Gray durasteel walls, slightly rusted, and broken windows high up on the walls. However, armed guards scared away any would be "curious parties." Strask's men let me inside. The submersible was docked in the water, its hatch open as a technician finished working on it. The Bothan grease monkey finished his work and looked over at the entourage that came inside.

"You know how to operate one of these things?" The techie asked of me. I gave him a dry glare from behind my helmet and stepped inside the open cockpit. One man sub.

"Back in a while fellas." I said dryly. After closing the hatch, I took the craft out from the dock, submerged beneath the surface, and headed out to sea.

The underwater trip to the island chain took a little under an hour. The submersible was fast, that was for sure. As I neared the chain, I surfaced the craft and used the periscope to view the islands. Densely wooded, with a few large rock formations that rose into cliffs. Scans revealed the islands on average were 50-60 feet apart. Taking the sub in closer would be risky, so I activated the sub's SDV to get me to shore. Onboard the SDV, I shot the small, torpedo shaped vehicle through the water, until hitting shore. I climbed out of the SDV in several feet of water and did a quick scan. Nothing. I equipped my slug-thrower, and with my other hand pulled the SDV onto the beach, between several trees.

Coastal warfare was different than typical inland battles, made even more complex when it was being fought on islands. Training, and experience, had shown me that over time, fighters engaging in a war over islands began to develop a certain "cabin fever." There were no huge expanses of land to flee or hide to, and if one was lucky, the terrain could allow for ambushes. In this case, my opponent already had a huge advantage over me. He had made these islands his fortress, while the jungle and cliffs were his battlements. While fighting against Revan's forces on Dxun, we Mandalorians had used the dense jungles to our advantage. Now the tables had turned.

_Wonderful. I bet my friend is already watching me._ I thought dryly. I checked my helmet's uploaded 3-D map of the islands. The chain was shaped like a wide, stretched out crescent, and I had landed on its southern edge. I set checkpoints on the map, and slug-thrower in hand, began heading forward through the jungle.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

A feline like character, perched amongst the jungle canopies, watched from high above as this new character, wearing Mandalorian armour and heavily armed, stalked through _his_ playground. A playground of death.

This new character was certainly not here to play cards, drink ale and share war stories. An agent of his Bothan "friend" no less. Well, this Mandalorian was in for a surprise. Several, in fact. Warriour versus warriour, hunter and hunted, Trianni versus Mandalorian. The former grinned, his sharpened teeth leering as though they had a mind of their own.

The Trianni predator leaped to a nearby tree, and began the hunt against his new foe.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

The jungle liked to play tricks on untrained minds. Shadows where there should be none, things you thought you saw, dozens of life forms around you watching and waiting. None of that mattered. Dxun was more ferocious than this place. There were some creatures that had stalked me, but I scared them away with sonic blasts from my portable emitter. But there was one creature who wouldn't be scared off.

_I know you're here_ I thought to myself. By now, the late afternoon sun had begun to slowly set, leaving few openings in the canopies above for natural light to pour through. As I trekked further, there was light at the end of the trail – the jungle pilfered out as it reached another beach, downhill from my location. I scanned ahead with my helmet, and spotted something – a giant boar. On the beach. Charging me. I aimed my slug-thrower to level the beast, and as it charged up the hill and into the trees, an _explosion_ ripped the terrain in front of me apart. I was thrown onto my back, disoriented. As the smoke cleared, I quickly stood up, wary of the boar and any other creature whose attention was caught.

But I was in the clear. The boar had been caught in the explosion, its body blown apart and now lying dead under a pile of broken trees. I did a quick scan. Some creatures were approaching, and there was something else ahead. Nothing organic. Small energy signatures. I moved ahead, wary, as I investigated the site of the explosion. The blast had erupted not from the canopy, but from the ground. I walked around the blast site, as my scanners detected more energy signatures. Traps. Set by my prey.

_IEDs_ I thought to myself. Clever…my prey was not only cautious, but ready. I traveled ahead, avoiding the charges and heading to the beach down the hill. I set foot on the beach and looked around. The beach was in fact home to a small cove, and just up the beach was an ascending rock formation. I checked my 3-D map. My next checkpoint was just over those rocks. There was still enough daylight, but even without it I had no need to fret. I headed up the beach, and began trekking back and forth across the rocks, eventually making my way to the top of the formation. The top of the formation was narrow, only a few feet wide at least. Still, from this peak I had a full vantage point of everything around me. From here I could fully make out the island chain, from where I began, and as it curved north. The descent down the rock looked only slightly easier, thanks in small part to nooks in the rock face. As I studied the rock face to plan out a descent pattern, a metal slug pierced the ground next to me, sending pieces of rock flying.

_Sniper!_ In an alarmed panic, I moved for cover, but slipped on dry vegetation, collapsed on my stomach, and began tumbling down the rock face. Slugs from the hidden sniper continued peppering around me as I slid down, but ceased as I crashed to the bottom of the rocks and found cover amidst the jungle.

"Sonofabitch…" I grumbled to myself. I slowly stood up, grabbing onto a rock to help myself up. I checked myself…nothing broken. My jetpack, upon closer inspection, was also still in top form. My slug-thrower, which had fallen from my hand, was on the ground next to me. I holstered it, and equipped my rifle instead. When I was ready again, I continued on into the jungle.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

The Trianni watched this spectacle from another rock perch, opposite the one his prey had climbed. His target got off lucky, that was all. The hunter pocketed his remote control, and made a mental note to tinker with the sniper rifle trap. The rifle had to be tilted upwards and to the left slightly. Or he had to redesign the entire system, maybe create a remote that not only fired the rifle, but allowed him to view what the rifle's scope saw, while also being able to move the rifle in a 360 fashion.

Satisfied for the moment, the Trianni left his post, and continued the hunt.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

I had been traversing through the jungles for several hours now, passing check points as the sun finally set. I had activated my helmet's NV to suffice. As usual, I kept the wild life at bay with my portable sonic emitter, and hadn't run into any traps yet since that mess on the rocks. Its as though my prey had ran out of ideas halfway through fortifying the place.

_Or he's letting me run wild till I get bored and call the whole thing off_ I thought to myself. That was a possibility. Or was he now hunting me? Was he on a different island entirely? Was he even here? The possibilities seemed endless as I cycled through them, simultaneously traversing the island. My thoughts had now begun to plague me, _annoy_ me even. He was here. That was all.

_Keep it simple stupid_ was every operative's universal motto. Think too hard and you'd just get yourself killed. Focus on the now, only the mission mattered. I ignored my worries, stashed them in a tiny black box in the back of my mind, and threw away the key. By now I had reached the _end_ of this island, the next one across the sea, a little over 60 feet away. _Keep going or call it a night?_

I had a bad feeling about it. The water, that is. Going for a dip in the night was about as smart as sticking a fork in an electrical outlet, or more simply slamming your dick in a door. I backed away from the water, and walked back up the beach. As I began back, something pegged on my sensors. Behind me. I swiftly turned around.

And there he was. Standing well over seven feet tall, and armed with a vicious looking vibrosword. The Trianni looked at me intently, motionless and silent. He was ready for a fight. So was I. Enough of this cat and mouse shit. _Alright. Let's do this, asshole._ I settled on fist and foot, and my prey charged me. As he neared me, he swiped with his sword. I ducked and rolled, coming up alongside him to stab him in the side with my gauntlet shiv. But the blade went right through. My hand went right through. And suddenly my prey disappeared.

_A hologram? Clever bugger_ I thought to myself. My sensors had deceived me. I shook my head, and began once again towards the jungle, wary of the real thing. _Till the morrow._

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

The Trianni predator watched his latest spectacle from the opposite island, while hidden behind a tree. His holo-projector had succeeded quite well – now he knew his prey's fighting style.

After setting up a sensor nearby to alert him to his prey's presence, the Trianni hightailed it further into the second island. Tomorrow was another day.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

I woke up. It was barely 0600. The sun was still testing the waters as I pulled myself up from the sand. I had found a decent enough spot to sleep a short ways into the jungle, but still close enough to the beach. I checked my kit to make sure everything was accounted for, and when everything was, I set out. I reached the beach, and surveyed the sea once again. It didn't look that deep…still. My jetpack, still functional, came in handy as I shot over the water, landing on the next island.

_Too loud. Keep moving._ I thought to myself. I had attracted enough attention already. I ran on ahead, past more rock formations and began along the beach. After a while, the sun finally began to take hold over the landscape. After searching the beach for about an hour, my sensors alerted me to something behind me. Again. I quickly spun around, and aimed at my target. I fired my rifle, and naturally, the bolt went right through the hologram. It disappeared.

_Going to have to try better than that asshole_ I thought to myself. Another hologram appeared, this time in the trees uphill. This one had a blaster. I fired, and that hologram disappeared too. For several minutes nothing else appeared. I shook my head and turned around. Fifteen feet in front of me was another hologram. I began walking forward, casually shooting the hologram, causing it to disappear.

_This is getting tiring_ I thought to myself, annoyed. My sensors alerted me to another behind me. I shook my head and kept walking, and was rudely knocked down as a blaster bolt pegged me in the back. My armour deflected the bolt, but I went down regardless. "Fucking asshole…" I cursed under a hushed breath, as I quickly scrambled up. As I turned around, the _real_ Trianni was right there, arm charged back as he swung forward to slug me. My prey managed to connect, and I was sent sprawling backwards.

He wasn't the prey. _I was_. He always had been, from the moment I arrived till now. Everything I did was watched and monitored by him. This was all a game, and now he was going to finish it. My foe equipped his blaster again, and as he aimed down to shoot me, I already had the jump on him. With my gauntlet lasers, I fired at his weapon hand, destroying the blaster and burning his hand.

The Trianni yelled in pain, and turned to run. I lunged forward to grab him, catching his utility belt instead. My prey kicked wildly at me, but I held on. He broke free and ran off towards the jungle, but I had his belt. As I stood up to go after him, he tossed something at me. I jumped towards the water, splashing as his thermal detonator exploded in mid air. My armour took the brunt of the blast, as I lay facedown in the water. I slowly swam back to the beach, disoriented as I crawled across the sand. My prey was gone. I was alone. With nothing else to lead me on, I picked up the utility belt. It was mostly burned, but I checked its contents anyway. Some small electronic devices, a remote control and a holo projector. I tossed them into the water and grinned.

_Now you are the hunted_

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

The Trianni huffed and puffed as he scrambled through the thick forests, defenseless. His ambush had failed, utterly. The Mandalorian had turned out to be more capable than expected.

Holding his burned hand, the predator, now on the run for _his_ life, kept running.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

I ran through the jungle, my eyes scanning the ground for footprints and other tracks my foe had left. My scanners meanwhile kept me alert to everything else. It was time to end this game. After a while of running, I came to a creek.

"Dammit." I said annoyed. The trail had gone cold. He could've followed the creek either way for a time, and then continued on, or even back tracked. As I looked about, disappointed, something caught my eye. On the other side of the creek. I walked through the water and checked it. Something had been snagged on a small bush, whose leaves looked like they had small razors on their outer edges. Upon closer inspection, it looked like fur – Trianni fur – caught on one of the leaves. It was bloody. I immediately turned to head in that direction, but then stopped. Was this a ruse? Had he purposely snagged himself to lead me astray? Or was he so caught up in fleeing that he accidentally hurt himself on a bush and kept running?

_Shit_. Now the KISS method was just being restrictive. After a few moments of indecision, I decided my prey was just that tough that he would try and trick me. He already had been playing games before. I went opposite the bush, and began running again.

_Wait a tick._ I stopped running. It was a ruse alright. But he hadn't ran. I looked up. The jungle canopy, thick and dense. A perfect place to hide. And stalk your foe from. My scanners pointed me to a spot in the trees just behind me, past the creek. With my rifle I fired several times, which was followed by a huge rustling in the trees above. My foe leaped from one tree to the next. I ran after him, letting my rifle drop back to its slung position as I followed after my prey. With my scanner keeping track of him, I set my eyes on the ground before me, jumping over fallen logs, around IEDs, and across creeks.

After several minutes of running, I began uphill through the jungle after my prey. The Trianni was still swinging in the trees, but eventually the jungle began to pilfer out. We had reached the cliffs, looking over the edge of the island. My prey swung from his last tree, and crashed at the edge of the cliff. I raised my rifle at him.

"STOP!" I yelled. The Trianni had his back to me, as he was on his hands and knees.

"You've beaten me. Aren't you going to kill me?" He asked, standing up and facing me. He stood back as I kept my rifle aimed at him.

"_Not yet_. I want to know what your deal is with the Bothans!"

"What makes you think I have a problem with them?"

"Strask Girov said so." I replied. The Trianni shook his head, and favored his weapon hand, still in pain.

"Your Bothan friend isn't to be trusted, Mandalorian."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"Let me guess. Told you I destroyed some 'critical infrastructure' in his precious city?"

"Yah. Told me you raped a little girl too." I shot back. He laughed.

"Lies, mere fabrications. When you kill me and show him proof of the deed, he'll betray you as he's done to many so called 'allies,' myself included." He replied. I paused. "Didn't tell you he knew me, did he? Ha, figures. He and I used to be army buddies, then later business partners. When he sold me out of this colonial venture, he hounded me out of the city till I had one place left to run to: these islands. Now he's sent you here to finish me off. He'd rather send out a pawn than waste his own men's lives."

"Why should I believe you?"

"Why should you believe _him?_ May I prove to you I'm not lying?" He asked. After several moments I nodded. My prey lifted up his arm, and showed me his tattoo. A G.R.A. tattoo. And I had seen plenty of them to know this one was real.

"Ok. So he's probably lying."

"That's it! Now listen, you and me, we work together, and we can bring this guy down!" He replied excitedly. Something about it struck inside me. I shook my head, rifle still aimed at him.

"I work alone." I replied dryly. I fired twice, killing the Trianni. I went over and checked his pulse - dead. _Now the fun part_ I thought unenthusiastically. Using my gauntlet shiv, I went to work scalping the bugger. When all was said and done, I trekked back to the first island, retrieved the SDV, and headed back to the submersible. I was done here.


	6. Trust

I returned to Strask's private harbor in the late morning. I docked the sub and exited the craft. Strask's men eyed me, and said nothing to me as they escorted me in their sky car back to Strask's base. _Ungrateful di'kutla._ They landed the speeder, and I didn't hesitate to escort myself to Strask's office. They hurriedly followed after me, making it inside the turbolift just before the doors closed. The lift descended to Strask's office, and I walked out first. Strask looked up from his desk.

"Ah Fett, good to see-"

"Is this what you wanted?" I asked, retrieving my foe's scalp from my belt and throwing it on Strask's desk. The Bothan looked annoyed _and_ queasy as he leaned back in his chair. He looked to his right and nodded to a servant, who walked over to clean up the mess.

"Um, yes, thank you…" Strask said. Suddenly, his men surrounded me, grabbed me and had their blasters at me, point blank. "Yes, thank you, very, very much." Strask said with a snide grin.

"Your 'friend' warned me this would happen. I thought your friendship with Sud-"

"Don't lecture _me_, Fett. At the end of the day, we Bothans have to look out for ourselves.. The rest of you in the galaxy take second priority. So you'll understand that when I have you killed, I will then turn you in for the bounty on your kind. Or is that too hard for your Mandalorian 'honour' to understand?"

"You sonofabitch!" I yelled. His guards held me back as Strask laughed, amused.

"Charming, as always. Of course, you did the deed of eliminating my old business partner, I suppose there would be nothing wrong with telling you what you need to know." Strask began. He pulled out a datapad and waved it at me. "Your friends, the Ailon? Huag wasn't lying when he told you his people were hired by the underworld. Very few organized crime leaders have the _cohunes_ to hunt down your kind, most in fact attempt it and then die themselves. But there is one. A certain Cerean based out of the smuggler's moon, her associates know her as 'Reeko.' For those in my business, we all knew her as street trash before she took over that racket." Strask said. I had been listening to the Bothan's words, but ignoring him. Instead I was quickly scanning the room, for anything to get these bastards. Finally I found it. I used a voice activation code, and readied a knee rocket dart. "Anything left you'd like cleared up Fett? If not, I'd really like to get a move on, there are an awful lot of credits to be had from your death you know."

I said nothing, instead launching the rocket dart at an exposed gas line in the ceiling behind Strask. Girov's eyes widened in horror for a split second as he saw the dart fly through the air, exploding the gas line and sending his entire office into a flaming conflagration. The blast incinerated Strask immediately, while charring his minions, who had all been thrown backwards. I too was thrown on my back, saved only by my armour. The sprinklers in the ceiling were set off, as I stood back up. _Damn that stung._

"Haven't been knocked around this much since basic…" I grumbled to myself. The fire was still intense, even as the sprinklers kept shooting water down. I scrambled to search for where Strask's datapad landed, and found it in the corner, blasted out of his hand. I picked it up and pocketed it. I was done here, and had everything I needed to know. I made my way back to the glass elevator, leaving the fiery destruction behind me as I opened the lift doors. The lift itself was gone, several floors down. I had to get out. I activated my jetpack, and began flying up the clear durasteel shaft as the lift began ascending. "Ah shit…" I swore as the lift reached me. I stopped my jetpack and set my feet down on the car. With a quick scan, my sensors revealed there were six people in the car, all armed. _Wonderful_.

I paused as the car ascended, finally stopping at the top floor. I had to lay flat on top of the lift to keep from being crushed. The troops inside the lift exited out into the hall, and began taking up firing positions. They knew I had to come this way. I readied a smoke grenade, lifted up the emergency hatch, and tossed it out into the hall. Almost immediately blaster fire began pouring into the lift, shattering its glass walls. I held position. There was someone yelling in the hall.

"Hold your fire, hold your fire! Fett, we can end this without bloodshed. Surrender and we won't kill you. The bounty on your kind doesn't mean we can't take you in alive." The commander yelled. I grunted, mildly pissed off.

_No one is taking me alive or dead_

I readied another grenade. This one however was not LTL. I lobbed it down, out of the lift and into the hall. It rolled for several moments then exploded, causing a massive fiery conflagration and several screams of pain. I dropped down into the lift, and found the hallway was filled with smoke and fire, even with the sprinklers. My pals were running wild, trying to put out the fires that had caught them from my phosphorus grenade. I began casually walking out of the hall towards the landing pad, pushing aside several Bothans who were lit on fire. I passed by the Bothan troopers, dead and dying, as I made my way towards the landing pad. The wide windows in the hallway, now curving, revealed several fighters descending from the fleet that had first 'greeted' me. I exited to the landing pad, where my Basilisk sat still. Plumes of smoke from below rose up as I entered the ship.

"How we doing girl?" I asked as I settled in the cockpit. I fired up the ship, and as the engines heated up, the security system logs came online. A log from yesterday revealed an intruder had _tried_ to get onboard, but the ship's automated defense systems neutralized him. "Good girl. Its time to go." I said, as I took the ship off the landing pad and up towards space. As I input hyperspace coordinates, the fighters from before began tailing me and unleashing blaster fire. I zipped and dodged as I flew up into space, and began flying opposite the Bothan Capital ship. The fighter squadron continued tailing me as I finished the coordinates.

"_You won't get away Fett!_" One of the pilots yelled over the channel. My shields were taking a beating but were still holding.

"Keep telling that to yourself."

Moments later, my Basilisk blasted off into hyperspace.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

As space and stars beamed into infinity around me, I used the ship's comm. to open a line to Sud. After several moments the Peripleen finally responded.

"_Lad, that you?_"

"You've got some explaining to do old timer."

"_What?_"

"Your friend told me what I needed to know. But he also had a particular bounty in mind that he wanted to cash in on."

"_Ah no. I'm sorry lad. I wouldn't lie to you. I thought Strask was better than that. I guess he's changed since the old days._"

"He never changed. He always adhered to his people's code."

"_I guess that means you killed him?_"

"It does." I replied. Sud sighed.

"_Not my favorite turn of events, but greed infects the best of us. I swear I had no idea he was going to do that._" Sud pleaded. Could I trust him again? My first impression of Sud was a good one. Did it still stand? After a few moments of thought, I gave him the benefit of the doubt.

"I believe you Sud. I need your help again."

"_Name it._"

"Strask told me who the Ailon employer is. Some female Cerean, based out of the smuggler's moon."

"_Little Coruscant, the Vertical City as its called sometimes. Nar Shaddaa. Bad place that is. You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy._"

"Remind me to recommend you to a travel agency."

"_I'm serious. Bounty hunters, assassins, crime lords, murderers, thieves, all of the above reside there. Even the beggars on the streets will pick pocket if they get the chance. You go there and you'll be asking for trouble. Anyone spots you, they'll try and kill you themselves for the bounty, or tell someone else for a finder's fee. Its suicide kid. Don't do it._"

"That's the thing old timer. I have to." I replied. Sud scoffed.

"_We can only be young and stupid once. Who is this Cerean anyway?_"

"Name's Reeko. Female. Strask mentioned she was on the streets before becoming a major player."

"_Hmm. Never heard of her. But I bet she's ruthless. You know these types. Rough childhood, turns them into brutal people._"

_I know it all too well_

"Thanks for the info."

"_Say, you ever thought of being a bounty hunter yourself? You've already got the skills for it, just need to network, call some people, and-_"

"Novel idea, but I don't think so. Keep in touch old timer."

"_Alright, alright. See you on the other side, eh stranga?_"


	7. The Vertical City

**Hutt Space – Nar Shaddaa**

I blasted out of hyperspace over the smuggler's moon, and found myself amidst a sea of other spacecraft, all flying in and out of Nar Shaddaa. There were no organized space lanes like on Coruscant or Onderon. No, this was a free-for-all, and anyone in the way got stampeded. It gave me an idea of what it would be like walking on the planet itself. As I took the craft in, stealth generator up, I monitored open channels. A lot of it was spam advertising:

- ___ – You have one (1) new message! : )  
>- <em>_**Cheap flights**__ – Find the lowest prices on flights!  
>- <em>_**Congratulations!**__ – YOU HAVE WON1!1!1!  
>- <em>_**ZOMGZ!**__ – Find the hottest deals!  
>- <em>_**Hi there…**__ – Somebody wants to meet you ; )  
>- <em>_**HAWT TWI'LEKS 4 SALE!**__ – Looking to get your nob polished?_

Disgusted with this _aruetii_ custom of _bullshit_, I filtered those channels and switched to local, unsecured channels. I picked up one interesting conversation. The two were speaking Basic, but in a Huttese sub-dialect. Additionally, they were both aliens. I struggled to understand it, but caught on quickly.

"_I hear there was one of them Mandos in the system. You think they got out?"_

_"Doubtful. If that Cerean lives up to her reputation, she gets every one of them around these parts."_

_"I hear she keeps trinkets from all the ones she kills. Limbs, pieces of their armour. Skulls. She's sick."_

_"Trinkets, sure, but I heard she doesn't kill them. Gets others to do it."_

_"I don't blame her. Those bastards are tough to kill."_

I cut the channel, satisfied. _Thanks for the info, boys_. Stealth field still active, I took the Basilisk in to the coordinates stored in Strask's datapad. _I'm coming for you Reeko._

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

A lot of folks had no idea where she had come from. She was the sort of person that just appeared, made their mark, and stayed. Everyone knew of her, but no one knew her. There's a difference. She knew it. Those beneath her only had vague ideas of her origins. Perhaps she had been a slave off world, in another corner of the galaxy, escaped, and made her way here. She accepted such assumptions from others, using such ideas as cover to hide her true origins. Still. Some people _did_ know how and why she came to Nar Shaddaa, of all places. And why she had the guts to pursue this Mandalorian bounty.

The up and coming Cerean crimelord Reeko mused to herself, as she sat in her personal chambers. She had a glass of Sauvignon Blanc on the table beside her as she sat in her chair, while her favorite human boy toy, Magnus, knelt beside her like a loyal lap dog. She took a sip of Wine as she ran her fingers through his hair.

"Good boy, good boy." She cooed. All of her previous minions had been weak little boys, but Magnus, oh, Magnus…he was special. He remained silent as she continued. Bored for a moment, she looked about her chambers.

Her headquarters were not terribly large compared to the massive fortresses the Hutts and the Exchange constructed, but it was sufficient. Located within the side of a non-descript high rise that looked just as common as any skyscraper dotting the Vertical City, but it suited her and her outfit well. The only way in was a heavy durasteel blast door, while the windows had been removed and filled in. If she wanted to look out on Nar Shaddaa's _beautiful_ scenery, she could go into the main chambers. Her bed sat perpendicular to the wall, and across from it was a fireplace. On the mantle above hung her war trophies – the blast helmets of at least a dozen Mandalore warriours. She grinned as she stared at them.

Sure she had to split the bounty with the Ailon, but it wasn't a bad deal considering how much the Republic was offering. And it was not herself, nor her cadre of guards that were going toe-to-toe with the Mandalorians, but the Ailon Nova Guard. They were warriours, and as much contempt as she had for ideological muscleheads like them, she respected the fact that they were a match to the Mandalorians. As she sat enjoying Magnus' company, the intercom. blared on the table beside her. Annoyed, she accepted the call after checking the ID. It was Zirel, the T'syriel who kept watch at the bottom floor.

"_What?_ I told you not to disturb me!"

"There's someone here to see you."

"Who?"

"A Mandalorian."

"…Your joking."

"He's serious. He wants me to tell you he's coming up." Zirel said.

The line went dead as the sound of a slug fired off on the other line. Reeko shoved Magnus away, threw on clothes, picked up her blaster SMG, and went into the main chambers. The rest of her outfit – the Ishi Tib Sills, Kagan the Draag, the Aqualish Boda, and the human merc Londo – were all standing guard, armed and ready. Only one other member, another human, Marv, was absent, but he was watching over security cam tapes. Her men turned to her.

"There's a Mandalorian downstairs. He's serious." Reeko said. Her crew immediately checked their magazines, and exited to the hallway outside. To their right was the security room where Marv was, while to the left was the turbolift, and just in front of them was the winding staircase. Kagan hurried to the security room and opened it.

"Marv, Marv, we got somebody, keep a look out!" Kagan said. Marv nodded and kept watching the security cam feeds. Kagan rushed back just as the turbolift lights blinked, indicating a car was coming up. Reeko and her men took up firing positions, and as the lift doors opened, they unleashed blasterfire.

"Stop, STOP!" Reeko yelled, as Zirel's body dropped to the floor. Boda rushed over, and found Zirel dead, not surprisingly. The Mandalorian had already got him earlier, now they were just shooting a corpse. "Everyone inside! Boda, you stay!" Reeko barked. The Cerean's crew hurried back inside, locking shut the durasteel doors. The Aqualish stood guard outside.

Marv heard the commotion, but kept his attention on the feeds. Several moments later there were more sounds outside…and the deafening scream of Boda as he fell – or was _thrown_ - over the railing. Marv picked up his blaster, checked the feed for outside the door, and saw nothing. Boda was gone. Confused, he left the room to investigate. Zirel's body was still there, but Boda was gone. Did that idiot fall over the stair railing? Marv walked over and peered down over the railing. He didn't hear the sound of the ventilation shaft above him slide away, and then as the Mandalorian reached down, grabbed Marv with his arms, picked him up and snapped his neck. The Mandalorian dropped Marv's body, slid the ventilation shaft shut, and continued up.

Sills heard something outside, and checked the backup security room within Reeko's main HQ. He viewed the feeds for outside – Boda was nowhere in sight, and Marv's dead body lay on the ground outside the door. Sills ran back into the main chambers. "Marv is dead!" Sills cried.

"Dammit! There's no way the Mandalorian is getting through the front door, Kagan and Londo, guard the terrace! Sills with me!" Reeko ordered. The Draag and the Human went outside onto the terrace, though there was hardly a view worth seeing. Reeko and Sills turned to go into the Cerean's chambers, when suddenly Londo and Kagan were suddenly fired upon from above. Slugs ripped through them, killing them. "No! Close the blast shields!" Reeko yelled. The last member of her outfit, Sills, flipped a switch on the wall nearby, and durasteel plates began rolling down to cover the terrace windows. The two immediately retreated into her personal chambers, and closed the heavy durasteel door behind them.

Reeko stood in the middle of the room, looking about the ceiling. The Mandalorian was somewhere above. Sills meanwhile circled the room, and stopped at the walls where Reeko had the windows replaced and filled in.

"I think I hear something boss…" Was all Sills got out before permacrete charges blasted open the wall, killing Sills and knocking Reeko onto her back. She quickly recovered, picked up her SMG, and looked out. Speeders whizzed by through narrow passageways, alleys that stretched for thousands of miles _up_ between opposing skyscrapers.

Reeko looked around. Magnus had hid in the refresher room. _Pussy._ Annoyed, she fired out the massive gaping hole where her outside wall had been, emptying an entire magazine. "Fuck you Mandalorian! Fuck all of you, and you most of all!" Reeko yelled out. Suddenly something was thrown inside her room from outside. Flash grenade. She jumped for cover moments before it went off. As she sat up moments later, she was still disoriented. Her ear had begun to bleed. "Fucking asshole…" Reeko swore. She stopped as she felt the cold tip of a slug-thrower pressed against the back of her head, while she felt the familiar grip of a Mandalorian gauntlet around her throat.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

"Looking for me, Reeko?" I asked, as I held the Cerean in a bodyshield position.

"How did you find me Mandalorian?" Reeko asked.

"I'm asking the questions here!" I replied, gravelly toned. Her boy toy exited the refresher, and gasped as he saw his master in a precarious position. "Who's the pretty boy?"

"Magnus. Don't kill him, please."

"I'm…going to go…talk to you later sweetey…" Magnus said. I stopped him before he could leave, popping him in the leg with a slug. The pretty boy yelped like a girl and fell to the floor, clutching his wounded leg.

"You bastard!" Reeko cried.

"I didn't kill him. Your going to answer some questions for me, and if you don't I'm going to get unpleasant. Is that understood?" I asked. Reeko nodded. I glanced up and spotted all the helmets of my fallen comrades. "Why hunt my kind?"

"Because _your kind_ took everything from me! We Cereans are a peaceful people! We never even entered the war! The Republic, the Jedi, even sent diplomatic missions to persuade us to join, and we refused! We were allowed Colony worlds in the Outer Rim, and what did _your kind_ do? You razed them, killed everyone! My mother, my father, my brother, my sister! You took _everything_ from me!" Reeko blurted out, as she began to cry. I went silent. There had been rumours of _aruetiise_ hating us, but we didn't care. They were the foe. But now our enemies had won, and they were the only people to deal with now. Now those of us that survived had to come face-to-face with these sentiments…_anti-Mandalorian_ sentiments. The consequences of our actions.

This female Cerean, Reeko, was maybe a few years older than me, we were from opposite cultures, yet somehow…we were the same. Our lives had been destroyed. Her family and everyone she knew had been destroyed by us. And my people were dead and gone. We had both been violently ejected from our respective institutions, into a galaxy we knew nothing about. She had responded to a rough galaxy by becoming rough herself…she learned to be ruthless from the people she despised, the ones who took everything she had. _My people_. Both our lives were meaningless. No purpose to any of it. Nothing. Both our lives were fucked.

In a moment of pity, I let Reeko go, and she fell to the floor, her head in her hands as she sobbed. I staggered, grabbed the bed post to hold myself up as everything came flooding back. Tairek being beaten and killed by a Jedi. _Klaar_ Squad being murdered by Darius. Darius dying at my hand. _Malachor_. Clay getting decapitated. Turris and his men dying at my hand. Leaving Turris to die on that planet. Escaping. Mandalore, dead, at Revan's as Malachor imploded. The fleet being sucked in. All my people. Sucked into a gravity vortex. _While still alive_. Crushed by ships, ally and enemy alive. Mandalorians, Jedi, Republic soldiers, both ships of either fleet thrown together like ingredients in a pot of stew and melded into Malachor's surface. _Buried alive_.

At that moment I crashed to the ground, crying, weak, pitiful. I had nothing. I should have died with the rest of my comrades. I had no Clan to call my own, no mentor to ask questions to, no comrades. I had nothing. I was nothing. I should have crashed my Basilisk into Revan's ship. Should have put a slug in my head. Slit my wrists. Hung myself. Turned myself over to Revan, let him kill me as he killed Mandalore. Death was the only option.

_No. Get up and fight._

I swallowed my cries and my tears, warily standing back up. I was breathing hard and heavy, trying to keep it together as I looked at the other two people in the room. They were just like me. Just a couple of kids looking for something. Anything. Reeko, desperately trying to pause her cries, slowly looked over at me.

"Are you going…to kill us?" Reeko asked. I said nothing, but after a few tense moments I replied.

"No." I said, hoarsely.

"Why not?...Change of heart?" Reeko asked. I slowly calmed my breathing down before replying.

"It's complicated." I said, at a loss for words.

"You don't have to be…like this. You don't have to fight and kill." Reeko said, pleading. Pleading for something, calling to something higher. What it was, I didn't know.

"I have to." I said, sucking up my tears. Mostly. Reeko shook her head.

"Do me a favor…kill me."

"Why?"

"I don't want to live….everybody I ever loved were killed. I just want to die." Reeko said. I paused. I had dropped my slug-thrower. It lay on the ground beside me. I knelt down, slowly picked it up, and walked over to her.

"If that's what you want." I said, pointing it at her forehead. Reeko looked up at me and said one last thing.

"Are you sorry?" Reeko asked. I said nothing, and instead put a slug in her head. The Cerean collapsed to the ground dead. I stood motionless for several moments, numb. I eventually holstered my weapon, and turned to leave. I stopped when I saw Magnus, still lying against the wall, clutching his wounded leg.

"Please…don't kill me." He pleaded. The thought came to mind to kill him. I thought of something else.

"I'm not going to kill you. I want you to do a favour for me. Anyone asks, tell them I died here too."

"Oh…ok."

I left without another word.

**DOUGLAS FETT MISSION PORTION: COMPLETE**


	8. Epilogue

**EPILOGUE**

Despite the reports that the Mandalorian who killed Reeko and her gang died along with them, the whole smuggler's moon became alight with greed to find the Mandalorian, as many believed the Mandalorian was never actually killed. Bounty hunters, assassins, and mercenaries alike, now no longer inhibited by third party crimelords, engaged on the hunt for Mandalorians.

Soody Wumba continued living peacefully in the jungles of Carida, and still currently resides there. He never heard from the Mandalorian stranger again.

The Ailon Nova Guard, along with other mercenary groups of the galaxy, unleashed the full force of their abilities to hunt and fight Mandalorians. Due to the Mandalorian tradition of being nomads, the hunted easily outmaneuvered large organizations such as the Ailon. The latter eventually disengaged from the hunt, having never again achieved the success they had early on.

The bounty on Mandalorians stood, even as tensions with Darth Revan grew. In the coming years, less than 25 Mandalorians were successfully killed, though this was due more to individual Mandalorians being ambushed and outnumbered by large groups of gunmen. For every Mandalorian killed, an average of 12 bounty hunters were killed in return. This devastating kill/death ratio frightened away many hunters, and over time the underworld gave up on hunting the Mandalorians.

Fett, disturbed by his thoughts, fled the known galaxy to hide in the remote territories of the Outer Rim. Though Fett never physically died, perhaps his instructions to Magnus eluded to some other death, a spiritual death.


End file.
